Diabolical Ironclad Beetle Survives Being Run Over by Car
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions, revealed the secret to the diabolical ironclad beetle’s near indestructible nature in a scientific paper published in Nature on October 21.
The beetle’s “crush-resistant” exoskeleton, specifically its elytra, allow it to withstand up to 39,000 times its body weight, the University said. Elytra are casings that protect a beetle’s wings.
Principal investigator on the project, Professor David Kisailus said, the ironclad was “built more like a little tank.” He added, "That’s its adaptation: It can’t fly away, so it just stays put and lets its specially designed armor take the abuse until the predator gives up.”
This footage was shared by the Kisailus Biomimetics and Nanostructured Materials Laboratory, University of California, Irvine. It shows a test being conducted wherein a diabolical ironclad beetle is run over by a car and survives. Credit: Kisailus Biomimetics and Nanostructured Materials Laboratory, University of California, Irvine via Storyful
